The greetings of the season to all of you! Well,
the snow arrived yesterday to the UK with predictable chaotic results.
Normally I’d be absolutely delighted,
because I’m a sucker for snow and like nothing better than to get out there and
build weird snowmen. In past years I’ve done an Easter Island head, a giant
teddy bear, a great white shark and something that was supposed to be a Chinese
lion dog but went somewhere awry along the way. I also attempted an actual-size
horse, but the snow turned powdery halfway through and I couldn’t get its legs
to stay on.
However, this year I attempt to fly out of
the country tomorrow (December 29th) so I can’t help but wish the
roads had remained dry and clear until after I go wheels-up from Stansted.
One place they don’t have trouble with the
cold weather is Harbin, which is the capital of Heilongjiang province in
northern China. The reason for this is that for the past thirty years they’ve
been holding the annual International
Ice and Snow Sculpture Festival, so they not only cope well with the
freezing conditions, but they positively relish them. And one day I’ll go there
to see these magnificent sculptures for myself.
Some are carved out of snow, others built
from blocks of ice which allows coloured lighting to be place inside. Either
way, it looks fascinating and an experience not to be missed.
Maybe I should add going to the 2016
festival - the 2015 one is almost upon us - to my
bucket list. Instead this year I’m off to foreign climes to get my head down
and concentrate on some serious scribbling. Can’t think of a better way to kick
off the New Year.
So, every good wish for Health, Luck and
Happiness to everyone in 2015.
This week’s Word of the Week, my last of
2014, is chionophobia, meaning an extreme
dislike or fear of snow. The word originates from Greek chion meaning snow and phobos
meaning fear, aversion or dread.
Posts
Happy New Year, Happy travels, and HAPPY writing to you, Zoe.
ReplyDeleteBy the way, what can we make of the fact that so many mental illnesses are named in Greek?
ReplyDeleteThank you, Annamaria! And the same to you, my friend. May 2015 bring you joy.
DeleteHmm, maybe by the time the Romans started claiming the origin of words in Latin, the Greeks had already nabbed all the best ones?
xx
I didn't miss the innuendo, AA. But considering how I got my Sundays confused and momentarily stepped on Zoe's toes with a post from the past, I think the appropriate "Greek" word I should recall is sharphobia...as in an extreme fear of what "she" may do to me.:)
ReplyDeleteBut no matter, I wish you Zoe, my love, the best year ever in 2015 and far, far, beyond.
Thank you, Jeff. Let's face it, after the way this year's gone the bar is not exactly set very high for 2015 ... :)
ReplyDeleteOh, and you should always be afraid. Be very afraid.
Mwahahahahahaha!
xx
Good thing that first 'o' was in there, or we'd all be living in fear of Jay Leno...
ReplyDeleteI wish Health for you, Luck in your travels, and Happiness in your writing and everything else!
Thank you EvKa, and the same to you, my friend!
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